D.G.
M.,
I'm with you in spirit, but I think the greatest effect we can have as women, is in our own homes. I, too, am saddened to see far too many of our young women display their bodies to be oogled by men & boys. But, if we as mothers stood up against so-called fashion & let our daughters know what is appropriate & inappropriate attire, things would be much different. I am mortified by the lack of material some girls, and their mothers, consider adequate coverage for their bodies.
My girls get a kick out of watch "American Idol," so we caught some "AI Rewind" last night, instead of a night at the movies. I could not believe that the girls on there didn't respect their bodies enough to at least wear shirts that met the tops of their skimpy bottoms, or that their bottoms barely covered their bottoms!
We cannot legislate morality, some will say. That is true, but we can tout it & have the expectation that our daughters will choose to respect their bodies instead of finding new ways to display their "goods." Is there any wonder that young men do not respect them or that old men want to oogle them & google them in "Girls Gone Wild?" If they themselves are a party to it, I think it's indicative of our failure as mothers...and fathers, that would let their daughters go out dressed as they do.
In the late 80's when I was in high school, it was the fad to buy men's boxers & tie-dye them. I was getting ready to go out w/ my mom one day & donned my pair, with a long t-shirt & a pair of Keds, sans laces. She absolutely refused to let me go out like that. I didn't understand then; I was so furious at her! But as a mother with daughters, I do now. She didn't feel that it showed a proper respect for my body or an understanding that some things aren't to be worn outside the house. Where did that understanding go?
Society has become numb to the fact & fashion has followed suit that in the name of "feminism" & being "comfortable with our female sexuality," we let our 14 year olds go out in t-shirts that would fit a 6 year old, only with the addition of a push-up bra. Then, we get all on our soap-boxes over how women are not treated with respect & are exploited. Is this parallel to difficult to compare?
Good luck. I think you have a noble cause.
D.